The present invention relates to the field of shower curtain leak protection apparatus.
It is common practise to provide a combination bathtub/shower structure of the alcove type in residential dwellings.
Such structures include a bathtub, an alcove structure and a shower head facility.
The bathtub is of the type defining a bathing recess and including a rim having a substantially horizontal, planar upper rim surface extending in substantially rectangular framing relation about the opening of the bathing recess, said rim surface having a pair of longitudinally extending sides and a pair of laterally extending sides.
The alcove structure is formed by a pair of parallel, planar end wall structures bracketing the rim surface on its laterally extending sides, and a back wall structure abutting one of the longitudinally extending sides of the rim surface and extending between the end wall structures. Exposed portions of the alcove structure are finished in a waterproof, usually tiled, surface.
The shower head facility is provided on one of said end wall structures, and is adapted to produce a spray directed generally into the bathing recess.
One well-known method for enclosing such combination bathtub/shower structures is to provide a shower curtain assembly including a curtain rod and a shower curtain. The curtain rod is arranged above and parallel to the other of the longitudinally extending sides of said rim surface, opposite to that abutted by the back wall structure, and the shower curtain is suspended from the curtain rod and into the bathing recess, thereby to drape over said other of the longitudinally extending sides of said rim surface.
This method is known to contain most of the spray from said shower head facility. However, the shower curtain tends to leave exposed the corners of the rim surface that are contiguous with the side over which it is draped, so as to create potential leakage paths. Unless the user is extremely careful, shower splash and spray tends to leak past the shower curtain.
A number of devices have been provided in the prior art to ameliorate this leakage problem, which devices typically consist of a screen adapted to be positioned on the rim surface, at the lower corners of the shower curtain. The shower screen described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,261 (Tooze et al.), issued Jun. 29, 1993 is exemplary in this regard. These devices are known to limit the amount of shower splash and spray which leaks past the shower curtain. However, they can suffer, inter alia, from poor aesthetics, and relatively high production cost. As well, they can be relatively difficult to install and clean. Moreover, by virtue of their height, they can constitute a safety hazard to persons getting into and out of the bathtub, and, if of the type which are fixedly secured to the tub, can deal a severe blow to any person who falls against it.
It is an object of the present invention to provide shower curtain leak protection apparatus suitable for use with combination bathtub/shower structures enclosed by shower curtain assemblies that impedes leakage of water past the shower curtain; that is relatively aesthetically pleasing and inexpensive to produce, and relatively easy to install and clean, as compared to devices of similar utility in the prior art; that does not constitute a safety hazard to persons getting into and out of the bathtub; and that is not prone to cause severe injury to persons that fall against it.
This object, amongst others, is met by the present invention, a splash block.
According to one aspect of the invention, the splash block is for use with a combination bathtub/shower structure enclosed by a shower curtain assembly.
The combination bathtub/shower structure is of the type including a bathtub, an alcove structure and a shower head facility.
The bathtub is of the type defining a bathing recess and including a rim having a substantially horizontal, planar upper rim surface extending in substantially rectangular framing relation about the opening of the bathing recess, said rim surface having a pair of longitudinally extending sides and a pair of laterally extending sides.
The alcove structure includes a pair of parallel, planar end wall structures bracketing the rim surface on its laterally extending sides, and a back wall structure abutting one of the longitudinally extending sides of the rim surface and extending between the end wall structures.
The shower head facility extends from one of said end wall structures, and is adapted to produce a spray directed generally into the bathing recess.
The shower curtain assembly includes a curtain rod and a shower curtain.
The curtain rod is arranged above and parallel to the other of the longitudinally extending sides of said rim surface, opposite to that abutted by the back wall structure.
The shower curtain is suspended from the curtain rod and extends into the bathing recess, thereby to drape over said other of the longitudinally extending sides of said rim surface, leaving exposed the corners of said rim surface contiguous therewith.
The splash block comprises a ramp portion and a collar portion, wherein the ramp portion has a drainage surface bounded by a peripheral edge consisting of a drip edge and a collar-receiving edge and wherein the collar portion extends around the collar-receiving edge, and is positionable at an operative position on said rim surface whereat said ramp portion substantially overlies one of said exposed contiguous corners with the drip edge presenting towards the bathing recess, with the drainage surface of said ramp portion presenting upwardly and sloping downwardly to the drip edge, and with the collar portion projecting upwardly.